Dispenser valve assembly



Nov. 10, 1953 l. H. FOOSHEE DISPENSER VALVE ASSEMBLY Filed Feb. 16, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet l i /1 lllllllllllllll INVENTOR.- IRB HASKELL FOOSHEE ATTORNEY.

Nov. 10, 1953 I. H. FOOSHEE 2,658,714

DISPENSER VALVE ASSEMBLY Filed Feb. 16, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. IRB HASKELL FO'OSHEE ATTORNEY.

Nov. 10, 1953 H. FOOSHEE 2,653,714

DISPENSER VALVE ASSEMBLY Filed Feb. 16, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IIIIIIYIIIIIIIIIIII// ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 10, 1953 DISPENSER VALVE ASSEMBLY Irb HaskeH Fooshee, Tenafiy, N. 1., assignor to Allied Chemical & Dye Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application February 16, 1950, Serial No. 144,535

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to apparatus for dispensing material, and is more particularly directed to improvements in apparatusfor dispensing material in spray or aerosol form. r

The invention and the objects and advantages thereof may be understood from the following de scription taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a broken vertical section of the improved dispenser;

Fig. 2 is a broken verticalsection, similar to Fig. 1, showing the parts in spray dispensing position;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of a cover cap taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view;

Fig. 5 is an enlargement showing parts of a valve assembly in valve-closed position;

Fig. 6 is a similar enlargement showing parts of the valve assembly in spray dispensing position, and

Fig. '7 is a bottom plan view looking in the direction of the arrows on the line of Fig. 5.

. Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing, the dispenser of the invention includes a spray or aerosol material container in provided with a crimped-on bottom H and having in the top wall thereof a circular opening, indicated at I 3, which is formed with an upwardly, outwardly, downwardly, inwardly, and upwardly rolled bead M afiording an upstanding flange; The container proper, the

bottom, and the top bead thereof may be made of any suitable material, .e. g. metal, suitable to withstand the internal pressure exerted by the particular liquid but normallygaseous dispersant utilized as the propellant for the spray or aerosol compositions used in the container.

The top of the container is closed oil by a valve assembly comprising principally the valve cup H and valve body l8, both shown in Fig. 1 and in the enlargements of Figs. 5 and 6. The valve body comprises a. disk-like plate 2i having an internally formed vertically disposed cylindrical section 23 terminating in an outwardly and downwardly turned flange 24. During manufacture, plate 2| is stamped downwardly, as shown at 26 (Fig. 5), and is centrally cut to form a circular opening 28. A second plate is stamped, drawn or otherwise worked to form the vertically extending cylindrical section 30 of cup [1,

. shown in Fig. 1, section 33 is of appreciably 34 terminates in a circular wall provided with a the diametrical dimension of section 30 being such that section 30 is adapted to tightly telescope the outside of depending portion 26' of body I 8. Cup I! isalso integrally formed with d p d y indrical s ctions 33 and 34. As

flow restricting orifice. Section 34 is adapted to telescope into the upper end of a. flexible dip tube 43 which, as indicated in Fig. 1, extends to approximately the bottom of the container.

A principal feature of the invention is the valve assembly shown in the enlargements of Figs, 5 and 6. As indicated, the stampings comprising the valve body l8 and the valve cup I! are shaped and sized so that such parts may be telescopically tightly connected and spot-welded at suitable circumferential intervals such as denoted at 45. A horizontal annular portion 41 of cup l1 constitutes the bottom of the cup and a seat for a disk of packing 48 which may be made of any suitable material such as natural or synthetic rubber, or nylon, etc. Packing 48 has a centrally located circular opening 49 affording a valveport, and the lower periphery of such opening provides a seat for a ball valve 50 which, by pressure of spring 38, normally maintains the valve port closed.

Placed on top of packing 48 is an annular spacer 53 made of rigid material, preferably metal. As shown clearly in the section of Fig. 5, the spacer is formed with an inwardly and downwardlysloping, inverted cone-shaped surface 55 which terminates in a circular opening 56 which is in axial alignment with the valve port but has a cross-sectional area larger than that of the port. The upper planar surface 58 of spacer 53 constitutes an annular seat for a disk-like sealing gasket 60 which is made of material having substantial elastic properties and which may for example be natural or artificial rubber. Gasket 60 has a central circular cut-out 62 through which the lower end '64 of valve actuating pin 65 is adapted to pass.

The foregoing elements may be assembled as follows. Spring 38 and ball 50 are dropped into section 33 of cup ll. Washer 48, spacer 53, and asket 60 are successively placed in the cup. The depending portion 26 of valve body I8 is telescoped into the upwardly extending cylindrical section of cup IT. The body is then forced downwardly into cup H by any suitable pressure means so that the outer peripheries of the Washer 48, spacer 53 and gasket 60 are wedged in place tightly enough to effect a gas-tight fit in the cup. Subsequently, cup I! and body 18 may be derside of gasketfill and the sloping surface 55 of spacer 53.

After filling the containenthe assembled valve unit is inserted in the opening in the top of the container, the vertical wall 23 of valve body I8 is outwardly crimped as at 10 (Fig. 1), and the outwardly directed flange 24 of body [8 is turned downwardly around container bead [4, this arrangement effecting peripheral attachment of the valve assembly to the top of the container in gas-tight relation.

The dispenser of the invention includes a closure cap indicated generally at H and shown in section in Fig. 1 and in elevation and plan in Figs. 3 and 4 respectively. The cap comprises a body 12 and a finger pressure push button 13 which, in association with the cap body and actuating pin 65, provides means for operating the valve and effecting discharge of spray or aerosol material to the atmosphere.

The cap body 12, which may be an integrally formed molding or stamping, is of the general configuration and structure shown in the several views of the drawing. The body comprises an internal chamber 15, a button guide block 16, a rectangular button opening 18 in the top surface, a spray or aerosol discharge nozzle window 80 in side wall 8!, and an annular relatively horizontally disposed flange 83. Side BI is substantially planar and is preferably sloped slightly rearwardly from the vertical as shown in Fig. l.

The inner smooth surface of side 8| furnishes a bearing surface for the up and down movement 'of button 13, and block forms a rear thrust support guide for the button. The lower portion of the latter is substantially square in horizontal cross-section and is provided with oppositely disposed inwardly projecting shoulders 85 (Fig. 2)

: which are shaped to conform with corresponding reversely directed shoulders 86 which are formed integrally on the cap body and act as an up-stop for the button. The length of the push button above shoulders 85 is such that, when the button is in the uppermost position as shown in Fig. 1, the knurled top surface of the button projects 7 above the surface of the cap body to an extent convenient for finger pressure.

The push button is provided internally with a vertical bore '81 and a connecting bore 88 of beyond the outer face of cap side 8|. The valve actuating pin 65 having an interior longitudinal duct 93 is set into vertical bore 81. The actuating pin tapers towards its lower end and termi-,

nates in the circular wall 95 which is provided with a preferably rectangular cut-out or slot 96, both as shown in Fig. '7.

In accordance with another feature of the disjacent its lower periphery with an annular insection so that the cap body by moderate handpressure may be forced down onto and engage flanges Hand 24 with a tight, snap-on lit. The

lower rim of the capbody may be provided with a short depending flange 98 which just lightly contacts the surface of the container so as to afford a clean line appearance. 7

In valveassemblies of the nature to which this invention relates, i. e. assemblies including a washer or disk having an outlet port, a springpressed ball valve for closing the same, and an actuating pin for unseating the ball from the port and conducting the material to be dispersed to the atmosphere ususally through a duct in the actuating pin, two general types of structure have been suggested and utilized to some extent. In the first type, the washer has a dual function, that is to consitute a seating for the ball valve and also to form a seal around the lower extremity of the actuating pin which frictionally reciprocates in the washer to unseat the valve. This type of structure in some instances gives rise to objectionable leakage between the outer surface of the lower extremity. of the actuating pin and the immediately adjacent portion of the washer through which the actuating pin slides to open and to permit spring closing of the ball valve.

In some other circumstances, the lower extremity of the actuating pin gets stuck in the upper vpart of the port hole in the washer during the spring-pressed upthrust of the actuating pin and does not permit satisfactory seating of the ball valve.

A second type of previously proposed structure may be designated for convenience as a true diaphragm valve, i. e. one in which a sealing gasket similar to gasket of Fig. 5 is permanently fixed, e. g. byvulcanizing or crimping, to the adjacent surface of the actuating pin. This so-called true diaphragm valve requires only a small force in the initial stage of the diaphragm flexure. However, as the diaphragm continues to be flexed and the material is strained, a directly proportional increase in force is necessary to give further fiexure. Another and further important factor which adds to the force necessary to operate a true diaphragm valve is the fact that, as soon as the ball is depressed off its seat, the vapor pressure in the container starts to build up against the underside of the diaphragm which pressure soon requires additional force in order to open the valve fully, the amount of force being directly proportional to the area of the diaphragm and the pressure in the container. Thus, the combinationof the inherent resistance to flexure of the diaphragm and gas pressure under the diaphragm make it notably difficult to force the actuating pin down far enough tocompletely open the valve with a convenient relatively light finger pressure applied to e. g. an operating push button mounted on the upper end of the actuating pin.

This invention provides an easily operable valve structure which prevents the frequent leaking and sticking described in connection with the first type of valve, and which does not offer the strong resistance to downthrust of the actuating aeseprs pin as is characterized by these-called true diaphragm type valve. l r

Fig. 50f the drawing shows the valve assembly of. the invention in the inoperative non-spraying position. The plastic ball seat washer 48 is an elastic material, such as natural or synthetic rubber, of suitable compositionto reduce changes in physical and chemical properties to a minimum when subjected to exposure to the formulation in the container to be dispensed. The elasticity of washer 48 should be: such as to absorb any deformities at the circumference of port 49 in which the ball must make a tight seat. The spacer 53 is made of. rigid preferably metallic material formed as shown and described to consti tute the chamber 69 the" major function of which will be subsequently apparent. The underside of spacer 53 acts as a structurally strong backing plate for the relatively thin plastic ball seat washer 48. Spacer 53 is undeformed by any stress transmitted to it by spring 38-. It will be noted as shown in Fig. that the diameter of circular opening 56 in spacer 5-3 is appreciably larger than the diameter of port 49 in the ball seat washer M. This construction affords adequate upward flexure and play of the material of washer 48 which constitutes the port, and permits sufficient movement of the port periphery to effect good seating of ball 50. It will be further noted that thediameters of port 49 and of circular opening 56 in spacer 53 are appreciably larger than the outside diameter of the" lower extremity of actuating pin" 65, the arrangement being such that there is no contact between the lower end of the actuating pin and either washer 48 or spacer 53, and hence no possibility of sticking of pin 65' in washer 48 or spacer 53 during closing upthrust of the ball. In this connection,

"it is further noted that ample clearance is allowed between the circumference of the circular opening 28 in plate 61 and the adjacent outside surface of pin 65 to afiordifree movemento'f the pin through plate 61.

j The sealing gasket 50' is also a thin plastic materialsuch as natural or artificial rubber of suitable elasticity and composition to hold changes in physical and chemical properties to a miniwhen subjected to exposure to the formulation to be dispersed. In the operation of the valv structure under consideration, as will be [hereinafter more apparent, gasket 6!! and pin 65 function as a true diaphragm valve during an ineffect this operation, it is noted that the elastic properties and characteristics of gasket 60 are of substantially greater importance than the clastic nature of ball washer 48. ,In accordance with the invention, in the case of gasket cc, elasticity is necessary for flexure of the material when the sealing washer is stretched during its true diaphragm action. The joint between the sealing washer and the actuating pin is also dependent upon the elasticity of washer 60, since this washer has an undersized hole diameter with respect to the adjacent outsidediameter of the pin andis stretched onto the pin. Synthetic rubber isa particularly suitable material for gasket 69.

Generally, in accordance with the invention,

the periphery of the gasket opening 62 is normally undersized, with respect to the immediately adjacent outer p riphery of the pin, to: such an ment of the pin, but loosely enough to: slide: with a sealing fit over the pin during a final portion of the valve opening movement of the pin. To accomplish the foregoing, in one satisfactory embodiment of the invention using synthetic rubber' for gasket 60, the manufactured: diameter of the opening in gasket 60 may be about twothirds (e. g. .04 inch) the outside diameter (e. g. .06 inch) of the immediately adjacent portion. of theactuating pin. Thus, it may be said that the elasticity of gasket 60- and the size of the gasket opening are chosen, with respect to the imme-- diately adjacent outer periphery of the pin so that during an initial part of a valve opening movement of the pin, the gasket and pin move unitarily in diaphragm seal relation and during a final portion of the valve opening movement, the gasket and pin maintain a sliding seal relation. To facilitate this operation the lower end of the actuating pin is made as small in diameter as feasible and is preferably nickel or similarly plated to minimize friction and permit slip-seal movement of the pin through gasket 60 during the last portion of the downward valve opening movement of pin 65.

From the above, operation of the. valve under consideration will be apparent for the most part. The mechanical action of the valve makes it extremely easy to operate with only very light finger pressure on push button 13. Referring mostly to Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawing, on depr'essi-on of the actuating pin to move the ball from its seat, sealing gasket 50 initially moves unitarily with the actuating pin. As washer 60 stretches in its diaphragm action, the hole in the washer at the point of grip with the actuating pin, also stretches and becomes larger. With this stretching and enlargement, the frictional resistance of the pin against travel through Washer 60 decreases. Resistance of the sealing Washer to flexing increases as it is stretched and opposes downward movement. The true diaphragm action of pin and washer 66 during initial downthrust of the pin requires only very light finger pressure to effect diaphragm flexure.

In the construction of the invention, a point is eventually reached in the unitary down movement of. pin and gasket 69 where the force necessary to continue a true diaphragm action becomes greater than the frictional resistance of the pin to grip the sealing washer. This point may be assumed to be the condition shown in Fig. 6- in which it may be'assumed also that the ball valve is only partly and not fully opened. From this point on with continued relatively light pressure of pushbutton 13, pin 65 travels downwardly thru the sealing gasket with a sliding seal (packing gland like) action. Because the sealing gasket is thin and the pin is small in diameter and has a smooth surface, and because the hole in the sealing washer where it grips the pin has been stretched, the frictional resistance of the pin to travel thru the sealing gasket is small, and the sliding seal action begins and continues with only a slight increase in force until downthrust of the pin has been suflicient to completely unseat the ball and open the ball valve port to its maximum value. On release of finger pressure on button 13, pin 65 and gasket 50 move upwardly unitarily untilgasket 60 returns to its"ap proximately horizontal position. Further spring se si pressure transmitted to incompletely seated ball through gasket 60 until the ball is completely seated. From the foregoing it will be apparent that the formation of chamber 69 permits the described flexing of gasket 60.

' Referring to Fig. 1, it is noted thatin a device suitable for dispersing aerosols, orifice 49 may have a diameter of .015 inch, while the diameter of orifice 9! in nozzle 90 may be .022 inch. The area of slot 96 may be many times the area of either orifice 40 or 9|. Thus, in efiect there is provided an expansion chamber bounded at its lower end by orifice 4B and terminated at its upper end by the orifice iii, and including spring casing 33, the port 49, and the axial spaces in pin 65 and nozzle 90.

Washer 48, spacer 53 and gasket 60 are housed preferably in a two-piece drawn sheet metal enclosure suitably plated with corrosion resistant metal if necessary. The top of the valve body [8 is drawn over so that the valve assembly may be installed on any beaded top container. The valve cup I! and body l8 are designed in such a manner that ball spring, ball, and the three disks 48, 53 and 69 may be assembled into the valve cup and the body assembled to the cup by means of a pneumatically operated fixture which will compress the disks under a constant pressure. By so doing, adverse combinations of tolerance in the three disks and housing will not afieet the amount of compression under which the disks are assembled .as would be the case in a constant volume housing. The valve cup i7 and valve body l8 may be spot welded together at points 45 around the contacting peripheries. Since the weld metal at these points is under a shearing stress rather than a tensile stress, a strong joint is effected.

I claim:

1. A valve assembly comprising a casing, a washer in the bottom thereof, a valve port in said washer having an inlet side and an outlet side opening into said casing, a valve and means for normally seating said valve in the inlet side of said port, an elastic sealing gasket on the outlet side of said port and having an opening in axial'alignment with said port, a valve actuating pin projecting through said gasket opening and being movable through said port to unseat said valve and open said port, an annulus-like metallic spacer between said washer and said gasket, said spacer having an inwardly and downwardly inverted cone-shaped surface terminating in an opening in alignment with said port and having a cross-sectional area greater than that of said port, said spacer thereby forming a chamberlike recess between said gasket and said port and surrounding the projecting end of said pin, said washer, spacer and gasket being associated at the peripheries thereof with said casing in gastight relation; the periphery of said gasket 'opening being normally undersized, with respect to the immediately adjacent outer periphery of said pin, to such an extent that said gasket frictionally engages said pin tightly enough to move unitarily therewith during an initial part of a valve opening movement of said pin but loosely enough to slide with a sealing fit over said pin during a final portion of the valve opening movement of said pin, and a dispensing duct affording communication between the outlet side of said port and the atmosphere.

2. A valve assembly comprising a casing, a washer in the bottom thereof, a valve port in said washer having an inlet side and an outlet side opening into said casing, a valve. and means for normally seating said valve in the inlet side of said port, an elastic sealing gasket on the outlet :side of said port and having an opening in axial alignment with said port, an axially movable valve actuating pin projecting through said gasket opening, push button means formovlng .said pin through said port to unseatsaid valve :and open said port, an annulus-like metallic :spacer between said washer and said gasket, said spacer having an inwardly and downwardly inverted cone-shaped surface terminating in an opening in alignment with said port and having a cross-sectional area slightly greater than that of said port, said spacer thereby forming a chamber-like recess between said gasket and said port and surrounding the projecting end of said pin, said washer, spacer and gasket being associated at the peripheries thereof with said casing in gas-tight relation; the periphery of said gasket opening being normally undersized, with respect to the immediately adjacent outer periphery of said pin, to such an extent that :said gasket frictionally engages said pin tightly enough to move unitarily therewith during an initial part of a valve opening movement of said pin but loosely enough to slide with a sealing fit over said pin during a final portion of the valve opening movement of said pin, and an axial dispensing duct in said pin affording communication between the outlet side of said port and the atmosphere.

3. A valve assembly comprising a casing, a washer therein, a valve port in said washer having an inlet side and an outlet side opening into said casing, a valve and means for normally seating said valve in said port, an elastic sealing gasket on the outlet side of said port and having an opening therein, a valve actuatin pin projecting through said gasket opening and being movable through said port to unseat said valve and open said port, the portion of said pin adjacent said port having an outside crosssectional area less than that of said port, an annulus-like spacer between said washer and said gasket shaped to form a chamber-like recess between said gasket and said port surrounding the adjacent portion of said pin, said spacer having an opening in alignment with said port and of cross-sectional area slightly greater than that of said port, said washer, spacer and gasket being associated at the peripheries thereof with said casing in gas-tight relation, the elasticity and the size of said gasket opening, with respect to the immediately adjacent outer periphery of said pin, being such that during an initial part of a valve opening movement of said pin said gasket and pin move unitarily in diaphragm seal relation for a substantial distance through an initial portion of said recess, and during a final portion of the valve opening movement said gasket and pin maintain a sliding seal relation, and a dispensing duct affording communication between the outlet side of said port and with the exterior of the assembly.

4. A valve assembly comprising a casing, a washer in the bottom thereof, a valve port in said washer having an inlet side and an outlet side opening into said casing, a valve and means for normally seating said valve in the inlet side of said port, an elastic sealing gasket on the tuating pin projecting through said gasket opening for unseating said valve to open said port, the portion of said second mentioned means adjacent said port having an outside cross-sectional area less than that of said port, an annulus-like spacer between said washer and said gasket, said spacer having an inwardly and downwardly inverted cone-shaped surface terminating in an opening in alignment with said port and having a cross-sectional area greater than that of said port, said spacer thereby forming a chamber-like recess between said gasket and said port and surrounding the adjacent portion of said pin, said washer, spacer and gasket being associated at the peripheries thereof with said casing in gas-tight relation; the periphery of said gasket opening being normally undersized, with respect to the immediately adjacent outer periphery of said pin, to such an extent that said gasket frictionally engages said pin tightly enough to move unitarily therewith for a substantial distance through an initial portion of said recess during an initial part of a valve opening movement of said pin, but loosely enough to slide with a sealing fit over said pin during a final portion of the valve opening movement of said pin, and a dispensing duct affording communication between the outlet side of said port and the atmosphere.

5. A valve assembly comprising a casing, a washer therein, a valve port in said washer having an inlet side and an outlet side opening into said casing, a valve and means for normally seating said valve in said port, an elastic sealing gasket on the outlet side of said port and having an opening therein, means movable through said port and including a valve actuating pin projecting and movable through said gasket opening for unseating said valve to open said port, the portion of said second mentioned means adjacent said port having an outside cross-sectional area less than that of said port, and the portion of said pin movable through said gasket opening having a constant crosssectional area; spacing means between said washer and gasket and located adjacent the peripheries thereof for forming a chamber-like recess lying between said gasket and port and surrounding the adjacent portion of said pin and being of size sufficient to accommodate extended and substantial movement of the center of said gasket toward said port; said washer, spacing means and gasket being associated at the peripheries thereof in gas-tight relation and said gasket being immovably secured at its periphery in said casing; the manufactured size of said gasket opening being substantially less than that of the immediately adjacent outer periphery of said pin, and such size and the elasticity of said opening being such that during an initial part of a valve opening movement of said pin, said gasket and pin move unitarily in diaphragm seal relation for a substantial distance through an initial portion of said recess, and during a final portion of the valve opening movement said gasket and pin maintain a sliding seal relation, and a dispensing duct affording communication between the outlet side of said port and with the exterior of the assembly.

6. The assembly of claim 5 in which the spacing means provides, on the valve port outlet side of the washer, an annulus-like rigid backing having an opening in alignment with said port and of cross-sectional area slightly greater than that of said port.

IRB HASKELL FOOSHEE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,328,863 Threm Sept. 7, 1943 2,372,392 Pletman Nov. 27, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 3,377 France Aug. 29, 1904 (Addition to N0. 330,192) 

